A call has also been made for a change to the whole planning system by a group saying “draconian” laws on building in the countryside need updating to help business to grow.

The Country, Land and Business Association (CLA) has released a report called ‘Planning for change in the Countryside’, which says the current system makes it too hard to build “appropriate and much-needed develop-ment in green spaces”.

But a borough councillor has warned that planning authorities should be very careful about where they build.

The group’s president, William Worsley, is calling on the new Government to make the planning system “flexible and transparent.”

The group argues promoting sensible development in countryside areas, providing for employment sites, housing and public transport would improve the long-term sustainability of countryside areas.

He said: “The current draconian planning regulations and rural police vacuum are throttling the sustainability of rural communities and driving young people into the towns and cities.

“We are asking Government to loosen the grip on planning to give the countryside a chance to thrive.”

Councillor Mary Ballin, Bracknell Forest Council’s executive member for planning, was not overly convinced by the group’s campaign.

She said: “I would be very cautious about relaxing the rules on building in the countryside.

“The whole point of the rules is that countryside stays as countryside.

“I can understand what they’re saying but we need to be very careful about protecting what we have.”